Definition
This is a four-character idiom (成语) originating from the story of King Zhou of Shang (商纣王), a notorious tyrant. It literally means 'to help the tyrant Zhou commit atrocities' and is used to describe someone who aids an evil person in doing evil deeds — being an accomplice or abettor. It's highly critical in tone and often appears in formal or written contexts.
f.e.
to aid an evil person in doing evilto be an accomplice in wicked deeds
Examples
- ，助纣为虐。Tā míngzhī duìfāng shì huàirén, què hái zài zhù zhòu wéi nüè.He knew full well the other party was a bad person, yet he still helped them do evil.
- 助纣为虐，。Nàxiē zhù zhòu wéi nüè de rén, zuìzhōng yě huì shòudào chéngfá.Those who aid evildoers will eventually be punished as well.
- 助纣为虐，。Lìshǐ shàng zhù zhòu wéi nüè de jiānchén, méiyǒu hǎo xiàchǎng.In history, treacherous officials who aided tyrants came to no good end.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.